


Late at night (I miss you)

by Turtlebaby



Series: MMOM 2014 [9]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Loneliness, Long way from home, M/M, Neal misses home, Phone Calls & Telephones, Post-Anklet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 08:11:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1597814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turtlebaby/pseuds/Turtlebaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Anklet, Neal left when the anklet came off.  Sometimes he needs a connection to home.  This is non-porny fluff, mostly. Yay mmom? lol</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late at night (I miss you)

He missed home. He missed coffee on the terrace and cabs that smelled like old shoes and, oh, the sounds. How he missed the noise of the city..

It was too quiet here. It was too quiet and he was aware of everything, the creak of the mattress under him, his neighbors singing pipes, the growl of the ice machine down the hall. Everything down to his own pulse in his ears.

He flipped on the small motel television and turned the sound up, but it didn't help. Tinny laughter filled the room and led a creepy sort of ambience to the thoughts racing through his head. 

He couldn't sleep. Six months since he'd been in New York. Six months since he'd seen his friends. Six months since he'd left with barely a goodbye.

He rolled over onto his side. Pulled the pillow free and readjusted. He flopped back onto his back and stared blankly at the ceiling. He knew what would make him feel better. He glanced at the bedside clock. Just after 12am. That would put New York time at just after 2. 

And that would be taking advantage of Peter's "Call anytime.  Anytime  Neal." rule. He'd called later. For worse reasons. But... 

Guilt swept through him as he dialed.

"Are you ok?" His voice was rough with sleep. "Neal?"

He smiled and closed his eyes. "I'm ok. I think I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh." Peter breathed. "Ok then."

"I miss you." No time like the middle of the night to be brutally honest; with your lover and with yourself. 

"Yeah, yeah. I miss you too. Jesus, Neal. I do." 

Neal bit his lip to stop the swell of tears. Usually these phone calls were about a different kind of catharsis. Usually they were searching for a physical release. Phone calls that ended with a sticky mess and a heavy sedated sleep.

This time, that's not what he needed. "Talk to me?"

Peter took a deep breath and Neal heard him swallow. "Satchmo brought home a new friend today. A kitten. The vet says she's almost three months old." He laughed. "I think El is rethinking her hatred of cats, she's named her Abby."

Neal sighed, content. Peter always knew. He listened to him talk about Jones' new girlfriend, about little Theo, and how badly the grass needed trimming. He filled the silence in Neal's head and he was moments away to succumbing to sleep when Peter grew silent.

"Hmm?" Neal hummed into the phone, inquiring even as his thoughts dimmed. 

"I think it's time to come home." And then he was silent again. This was unspoken territory, something they mutually, silently had agreed not to talk about. Neal needed space to stretch his wings and Peter needed to be able to let him. But six months was a long time. 

Something hot burned bright in Neal's chest and relief broke over him in waves. He hadn't realized he was waiting for an invitation until it was delivered. "I know." Sleep was pulling and his heart was aching. "I'm coming."

He was in the air the next day, well rested and wide awake.


End file.
